Danger: Handlebar Mounted Cup-Holders

This might look like a joke product, but designer Paul Kweton has actually built and used the Ring-O-Star (ho ho) bike cup holder. The silicon ring attaches to a bar-end via an aluminum expanding bolt, and then the cup of hot joe is placed inside ring and transformed into a dangerous weapon.

This is obviously a bad idea, but if used for a bottle of water or a soft drink (in a can, of course) it could be a handy addition to a bottle cage. Actually, let’s be honest. It’s a terrible idea. I would buy one, though, and load it with an empty cup and use both for handy storage and to baffle pedestrians.

Update: Our New York Bureau Chief, John C Abell, put me on the trail of a real, gyroscopically controlled cup holders, meant for use in boats or clamping to fishing rods. The $15 device swings on two axes to keep things steady, and comes with a insulating foam insert. You can even get it with a “Rail Mount Adapter”, which should clamp nicely to a handlebar. You’ll find it here. All it needs is some garish coloring and it could be marketed to the fixie-fashion crowd.